Review: Quinta da Côrte
Quinta da Côrte review – in a sentence
An ultra-chic, winery-with-rooms which makes the perfect base for a boutique hotel lover looking to explore the Douro Valley.
Design: 5/5
This centuries-old quinta was purchased by Philippe Austruy nearly 20 years ago and lovingly renovated into an 8 bedroom boutique hotel and winery, with architecture and interiors coming courtesy of the pre-eminent Pierre Yovanovitch.
I wasn't familiar with his work before staying here, but I'm definitely a big fan now! I absolutely loved the blend of clean lines, bold colours and vintage furniture – giving the spaces a refined feel, that's not overdone. The scheme exudes warmth and texture and is super cosy and inviting.
It's clear that art is a huge part of Pierre's approach, and really helps to anchor the modern architecture with the vintage elements.
The overall highlight for me was the en suite bathroom to my room, adorned with artisanal Portuguese tiles – so dreamy!
Food & drink: 4/5
Quinta da Côrte is a working winery, with a boutique operation making top-class wines. I did a mid-range tasting and tried several other wines with our meals, and truly loved them all – I was also presently surprised by the retail pricing, pretty affordable!
Food is all home made, and utterly delicious – staff will prepare what's fresh and seasonal; when I visited in February, I opted for a comforting chicken pie for lunch and a slightly more formal 3-course dinner in the evening, and everything was no-frills but so, so good. Sort of like really excellent pub grub from the UK (think The Hero / The Pelican's standards).
Even if you don't stay here, I'd highly recommend you book a wine tasting and lunch, because it was that great – and in fact we got chatting with several visitors doing just that.
Location: 4/5
Quinta da Côrte is located near Pinhão, in the heart of the Douro Valley and inside the revered "golden triangle".
Pinhão is accessible by train from Porto, and you'll then need to organise a taxi. However I'd strongly recommend you hire a car instead. It takes about an hour and 45 minutes to drive from Porto, the views are breathtaking, and you'll definitely want a car to explore the rest of the region!
To-do: 3/5
This is a small boutique hotel where there's not a huge amount of amenities, but given wining and dining is definitely the order of the day, and it's likely you'll get out and about to explore some other wineries too, there was nothing I feel is lacking.
I visited during winter so didn't make use of the infinity pool but, together with the terrace featuring panoramic views of the Douro Valley, I reckon you don't need really need much else! I'd love to return to enjoy an al fresco dinner.
I did really love the winery tour, which I thought was great value and I'd highly recommend.
The winery at Quinta da Corte
Reasons to book Quinta da Côrte:
A great base for exploring the Douro valley region
Beautifully designed while still feeling cosy
The fresh, home made cuisine is excellent
If you enjoy affordable, delicious wines!
Any negatives?
This isn't really a negative on this property per se, as it applies to the whole region - but you're definitely best off hiring a car, as public transport options are lengthy!